Golf club



K. SOLHEIM July 3, 1962 GOLF CLUB Filed March 25, 1959 Patented July 3,1962 [ice 3,042,405 GOLF CLUB Karsten Solheim, Redwood City, Calif.(10412 N. 37th St., Phoenix 20, Ariz.) Filed Mar. 23, 1959, Ser. No.301,245 8 Claims. (Cl. 27380) This inventionrelates to a golf club forputting on the green and more particularly to a novel and improved golfclub head for a putter.

At no time during his game does a golfer require more accuracy than whenputting on the green for at that time the target is a hole only four andone-quarter inches Wide. To achieve that order of accuracy, a golfermust use a club so constructed as to enable him not only to see and feelhis stroke but also to hear it for then he may concentrate through themaximum use of all his senses. In addition, he must use a club soconstructed as to impart a desired over-spin or back-spin to a ballstruck by the face of the club.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a golf club forimparting desired over-spin or back-spin to a ball struck by a face ofthe golf club.

Another object of this invention is to provide a golf club having a headof novel construction which rings with a clear note when the proper spotof the face of the club strikes the ball.

A further object is to provide a putter of a novel construction whichmay be easily aligned while addressing the ball.

An additional object is to provide a balanced head of novel constructionfor a putting golf club.

These and other objects of this invention are achieved by providing agolf club head having one or two face plates or platens connected at thetoe and heel through two blocks to a torsion bar having a hoselconnected to it for receiving a shaft. In some embodiments the faceplates are also torsion connected to the bar to provide a \golf clubhead having a face plate that is not connected to the hosel or the shaftexcept through the torsion bar and the connecting blocks.

The features of this invention are set forth with particularity in theappended claims. However, specific embodiments of this inventionmay bestbe understood by reference 'to the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective View showing the respective relationofthe various elements of this invention.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIG; 1.

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIGS. 1and 3.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a second embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of FIG. 5. v

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a third embodiment of this 7 invention.

2 blocks 6 and 7 such that they are not directly connected to a hosel 4which receives a shaft 5. This novel con struction is accomplished byconnecting the hosel 4 to a bar 3 shown in the exploded View of FIG. 2.

The bar 3 is shown connected to a boss 6a on the bottom of the block 6at the toe of the club and to a boss 7a on the bottom of the block 7 atthe heel of the club. However, this is not to be considered as alimitation of the present invention for obviously the bar 3 could beconnected to the blocks 6 and '7 farther up, in the middle or at the topwithout departing from the concept of this invention.

FIG. 3 more clearly shows in a longitudinal sectional view taken on theline 3-3 of FIG. 1 the relationship between the bar 3, the block 6having the boss 6a and the block 7 having the boss "in. FIG. 4 moreclearly shows the relationship between the face plates 1 and 2, the bar3, and the hosel 4- with the shaft 5 in place. It should be noted thatthe face plates are positioned away from the hosel 4. It should befurther noted that the bottom edges 1a and 2a of the plates 1 and 2,respectively, do not extend below the top of the bar 3. However, that isnot to be considered a limitation since the plates could extend belowthe top of the bar 3, as will be presently shown, or even below thebottom of the bar such that the edges 1a and 2a, instead of the bar 3,constitute the sole of the club. Regardless of the position chosen forthe bar 3, there is a slot 8 between the bar 3 and the plates 1 and 2 asmay be seen in FIG. 2.

The structure of the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 provides ahead that is balanced about its major or longitudinal axis and about itsminor or transverse axis, both of which pass through the approximatecenter of the hosel 4. in the embodiments of FIGS. 5 to 8 one 7 of theface plates is removed with the result that the club is lighter but lessbalanced about the longitudinal axis. However, balance about that axisis not essential and the balance about the transverse axis is notdisturbed.

FIG. 5 shows in a plan view a second embodiment of this invention. As inthe embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the face plate 2 is connected tothe torsion bar 3 through blocks 6 and 7 such that a slot 8 remainsbetween the face plate 2 and the bar 3. A distinctive feature of thisembodiment is that the blocks 6 and 7 are not any thicker than the bar3. Thickness is the dimension taken in the direction perpendicular tothe horizontal surfaces of the bar 3 in FIG. 6. The bottom edge 2a isextended below the top of the bar 3 in the manner suggested inconnection with the description of FIGS. 1 to 4..

FIG. 7 shows a further embodiment of this invention in a plan view. Animportant feature of this embodiment is that the bar 3 has been extendedin width to the same width as the blocks 6 and 7, the width being thelongest dimension, or dimension shorter than the longest dimension ofthe club head in the plan view of FIG. 7, so that a connection may bemade between the face plate 2 and the bar 3 along the full length of thebar 3, whereby a club head having a substantially L shaped section inany vertical plane perpendicular to said face plate is provide-d asillustrated in FIG. 8. Thus, the slot 8 of the two embodimentspreviously described is eliminated. However, as may be seen in thetransverse sectional view of FIG. 8 taken on the line 8-8 of FIG. 7, theface plate 2 is not connected to the hosel 4 except through the blocks 6and 7 and, in this embodiment, the bar 3.

Although only one face plate has been illustrated in the two embodimentsof FIGS. 5 and 7, obviously a second face plate maybe provided ifdesired. Conversely, one of the two face plates may be eliminated in theembodiment of FIG. 1 or in the embodiment of FIG. 9 which will bepresently described.

The embodiment of FIG. 9 is shown in a plan view. It is similar to theembodiment shown in FIG. 7 except that the blocks 6 and 7 are as thickas the face plates 1 and 2 just as in the embodiment of FIG, 1. Atransverse sectional view taken on the line 1010 of FIG. 9 is shown inFIG. 10 to clearly illustrate that the bar 3 is as wide as the blocks 6and 7 so that the face plates 1 and 2 may be connected along the bottomedges 1a and 2a to the bar 3. In a club constructed in that manner,there is no slot similar to slot 8 in the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 5.Yet, the plates 1 and 2 are not connected to the hosel except throughthe blocks 6 and 7 and the bar 3. The web like section of the bar 3extending to the face plates are illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 10 isrelatively thin as shown to permit the desired torsional action.

The effect of the torsional action of the bar 3 is to cause the faceplate striking a ball to move upward and toward the ball in order toproduce a lifting force against the point of contact on the ball. Theresult is that the face plate imparts over-spin to the ball. If the bar3 were secured to the top of the blocks 6 and 7, the torsional actionwould produce an opposite result or back-spin. Thus, a desired over-spinor back-spin may be imparted to the ball, depending upon whether thetorsion bar 3 is attached to the blocks 6 and 7 above or below the spoton the face plate which strikes the ball. If neither a deliberateoverspin or back-spin is desired, the torsion bar 3 may be attached atapproximately the center of the blocks 6 and 7 so that it will be inline with the spot on the face plate which normally strikes the ball.

The various elements have been illustrated as distinct pieces to beassembled according to the concept of this invention. However, althoughthe various elements may be manufactured separately and then assembledby welding or riveting them together, it is preferred that all of theelements except the shaft be cast in one piece, thereby providing aunitary club head.

From the foregoing it can be seen that a golf club of new and improvedconstruction according to the concepts of this invention is providedhaving several advantages. For example, the face plates 1 and 2 ringwith a clear note if the ball is struck with a center spot of a faceplate because it is believed that the face plate will vibrate at itsnatural frequency with maximum amplitude, that frequency being afunction of its length. If the ball is struck with a spot off center, itis believed that the face plate is caused to vibrate at some otherfrequency or at some complex of frequencies which noticeably alters thepitch and loudness of the tone produced. In addition, the quality ofthat tone does not appear to be of the same quality as the tone producedwhen the ball is struck with a center spot, a spot half way between thetwo ends of a face plate. This enables the golfer to determine with theaid of his sense of hearing when he is meeting the ball properly.Furthermore, this novel putter may be easily aligned when addressing theball. The hollow portion between the face plates 1 and 2 enable thegolfer to look down into the club head and see behind the center spot ofthe face which he wants to align with the desired point of impact on theball. A further advantage of this invention is that a balanced club headis provided, although balance is not essential as noted hereinbefore.

Still another advantage is that the torsion bar 3 rotates about alongitudinal axis when a ball is hit. This torsional action assists inproducing a pressure stroke instead of a driving stroke and in reducingany tendency a golfer may have to cause reverse spin or otherundesirable spin in the ball as described hereinbefore with the resultthat the ball will roll in a more consistent manner. This advantageousfeature may be enhanced by dividing the bar 3 into two or more separatebars or by reducing the cross-sectional area of the bar withoutdeparting from the basic concept of this invention.

While the principles of this invention have now been made clear inseveral illustrative embodiments, modifications could obviously be madein structure, arrangements, proportions and materials without departingfrom this invention. The appended claims are therefore intended to coverand embrace any such modifications that are within the true spirit ofthe invention.

I claim:

1. A golf club comprising a substantially straight elongated bar, ahosel adapted to receive a shaft connected to said bar, a shaft insertedinto said hosel, a first block connected to one end of said bar, asecond block connected to the opposite end of said bar and at least oneface plate having one end connected to said first block and another endconnected to said second block.

2. A golf club as defined in claim 1 wherein said blocks are wider thansaid bar, whereby said face plate connected to said blocks is positionedaway from said bar.

3. A golf club as defined in claim 2 wherein said blocks are as thick assaid bar.

4. A golf club as defined in claim 1 wherein said bar is as wide as saidblocks and said face plate is connected to said bar.

5. A golf club as defined in claim 4 wherein said blocks are as thick assaid bar whereby said blocks and said bar are connected to said faceplate to form a club head having a substantially L shaped section in anyvertical plane perpendicular to said face plate.

6. In a golf club, a head comprising two parallel plates at least one ofwhich is adapted to function as a club face, a first block separatingsaid plates at one end, a second block separating said plates at theopposite end, a substantially straight elongated bar connected betweensaid blocks, a hosel adapted to receive a shaft connected to said bar ina position between said plates and a shaft inserted into said hosel.

7. In a golf club, a head comprising two parallel plates at least one ofwhich is adapted to function as a club face, a first block separatingsaid plates at one end, a second block separating said plates at theopposite end, a substantially straight elongated bar connected to atleast one of said blocks and extending in substantially parallel spacedrelation between said plates, a hosel connected to said bar and adaptedto receive a shaft in such a position that its axis lies in a verticalplane substantially equidistant from said plates and a shaft insertedinto said hosel.

8. In a golf club, a head comprising a substantially straight elongatedbar, a hosel adapted to receive a shaft connected to said bar, a faceplate disposed in a substantially parallel spaced relation with saidbar, a first block connected to one end of said bar securing one end ofsaid face plate in said spaced relation with said bar, a second blockconnected to the opposite end of said bar securing the other end of saidface plate in said spaced relation with said bar and a shaft insertedinto said hosel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,154,490 Davis Sept. 21, 1915 1,250,296 Fitzjohn et al. Dec. 18, 19171,517,476 Tyler Dec. 21, 1924 1,705,997 Quynn Mar. 19, 1929 2,325,525Lukenbill July 27, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 465,643 Great Britain 1937

